BORN TO BE
by penwoman89
Summary: Edward moves to Forks. He meets Bella. She's strange but beautiful. He's oblivious to the fact that she's drawn to the blood that runs through his veins.
1. THE VAMP WORKS SOLO

**BELLA  
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**[PROLOGUE]  
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Edward Masen.

I couldn't escape his name even if I jumped off a cliff. I was learning about him before he even arrived in our pebble sized town of Forks. I was learning all the basic things that made up Edward Masen. He was seventeen years old and he lived in Chicago with his father. He was also the son of Elizabeth Masen, a divorcee as well as a writer for the Peninsula Daily News. There was gossip of father son disputes that drove Edward to leave the city, which was probably true considering Elizabeth Masen mentioned that her child could sometimes be dramatic.

Personally, I couldn't blame the bleeding hearts of Forks. This town was gray, wet, and most of all as boring as baseball on TV. Anything new coming to town was a treat to the locals. Me, I couldn't care less. I was never a person who was drawn to anything that resembled a soap opera. The arrival of the newcomer, I didn't care about. Even as a human I minded my own business, kept to myself.

My new family and I have resided in this town for the last two years and I have yet to feel settled. Then again it was impossible for me to feel settled just about anywhere. When I was human I was raised with the backdrop of the red sun and jagged mountains, more commonly known as Arizona. As a vampire anywhere we traveled had to have a blank sky. It was about the only draw back to this life. Yes, I missed my family, but the truth was that I loved being a vampire.

One of the things that made my secret life so great was my adoptive parents and new brothers and sisters.

Vampires. It sounds fake. We're not though.

We exist We lead lives that never end. We make others stop and stare at our beauty. Our strength is no match for anything. We're poisonous and our blood diet would send any human into cardiac arrest. Humans didn't believe we existed and that is how we were bound by our laws to keep it.

I'm considered a newborn to our life, saved by my sister Alice. After I was bitten I went into a hungry rage. At the first delicious scent of blood nothing else existed and I reacted like an animal...

With this life comes a gift.

Everyone was in awe when they learned I could hear the thoughts of others.

At the moment, here in Forks, all thoughts were directed at a Edward. I found it annoying that he was all anyone could speak of. I was grateful he was finally here. Maybe now the town could get their fill of the exciting mysterious newcomer and he'd finally be yesterday's news. I could finally go a day in peace without hearing about him.

I soon realized that peace wasn't meant for me at the moment. This dawned on me in Biology class.

Mr. Banner strolled into the room with a stack of papers in his arms. He placed them on the desk with a light thud and rotated towards his students.

"Alright. Take your seats. I have two things to run by you before we get started on these labs," he tapped the stack behind him. "Number one. I will not be here all next week I'll be having too much fun serving as a juror in a courtroom. Number two. We have a new student. Edward Masen. He'll be in this class next week. So introduce yourself, be nice, make him feel welcome and all that."

I knew these two things before he opened his mouth and I wasn't exactly jumping for joy at the last one. It wasn't fair, but a small dislike for this Edward guy had grown in me.

I must have not hidden my feelings well enough. Mr. Banner poked me with a pencil.

"Who crossed lines with you Culllen?"

I smiled right away. "No one."

He didn't believe me. He smiled back anyway and said, "Edward Masen will be sitting in the seat beside you for the rest of the year."

Just my luck.

"His records show that he was an exceptional honor student. I thought you would like to work on your labs with a partner who might be at the same level as yourself."

Mr. Garrick looked at me as if he were expecting me to be pleased.

I was anything but. This meant I would be in close proximity of a boy I've never glanced at and already found to be a thorn in my side. I tried to do what Alice and Rosalie did when they wanted something. I made my voice as sweet as candy and my lashes flit like the wings of a butterfly.

"I don't mind completing the labs solo. In fact, having a partner so late in the game might throw me off."

_Whoa. How did she do that?_

I wanted to slap myself. Mr. Banner looked intimidated and unsure. I rarely pulled that trick out of the bag and didn't know if I did it right. Maybe I batted my lashes too much?

"I don't need a partner but thank you."

He frowned. "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely."

_Funny. Never did recall her working or speaking to the other students in class._

The reason for that was because I was unapproachable as were the rest of my family... and race.

"I appreciate the idea though."

"Of course," he nodded and started to turn but stopped and looked at me.

Why?

"Masen still sits next to you."

_Maybe she'll be forced to converse with the kid._

Oh boy.


	2. JEEP FULL OF MEMORIES

**EDWARD**

**[THE DAY BEFORE]**

This place didn't differ from Chicago in terms of weather. It could be just as damp and dark. When I exited Port Angeles Airport, my duffel bag slung over my shoulder, there was an immediate downpour of rain. I unfolded a copy of The Peninsula Daily News and raised it over my head.

"Edward! I helped write that."

Elizabeth took the paper and popped open an umbrella. I suppressed a grin and she swatted my head with the soggy news piece. We ran to the car and zipped out of the parking lot in a yellow beatle.

"What happened to the jeep?" I asked, taking in a whiff of the new car smell.

When our family was together and whole the jeep was our transportation for yearly road trips. We traveled to at least two states each summer. The last trip we took was to New Mexico and sights I'd forgotten, the family bonding I recollected perfectly. Getting lost, picking up hitchhikers, and pretending to be asleep in the backseat while my parents spoke freely to each other were the moments I held onto.

"Well," Elizabeth began, "I was sitting in the living room this one afternoon and looked out the window and was confused. I'm serious! Who's vehicle is that I thought and why is it in my driveway? It looked dingy to me. I bought this baby with my hard earned cash! Doesn't it suit me?"

Not responding, I turned my attention to the dreariness outside. Traffic eventually became sparse as we entered Forks and the roads seemed endless, lined with trees, They were dark and blurry with dripping leaves and roots swollen with water.

"I got a twelve hundred for the jeep," she spoke after moments of tense silence.

I sounded indifferent. "Really?"

"Yes. Guess what I plan on doing with that money." She had one of those ear to ear smiles as she kept her eyes on traffic. It reminded of the way she smiled when I was about to open a gift; excited and sure I would like it.

Elizabeth didn't look like the way I remembered her as a 12 year old kid. Yes, there were the tell tale signs of aging from grey hair to crow's feet but the changes I noticed were deeper than appearances. Her posture was more confident and her green eyes intent. She had places to go besides school to pick me up or to the grocery store to purchase milk. The duties on her list went past keeping up with bills, washing clothes, and cooking dinner. She'd made a name for herself as writer for a small but respected newspaper.

I should have been happy for her, but it was difficult not to feel contempt.

"I don't like to play guessing games Eliza- Mom."

"I suggest that you apply for a savings account," she said, ignoring my bad mood.

"Thanks, but I have a savings account and I really don't need the money. How about sending the earnings to a charity? Or buying back the jeep?"

"Excuse me young man?"

She expected me to be elated. I didn't see how I could be.

"That car had not been driven by anyone for over a year. I understand the reason why you're unhappy, but it's only steel and rubber. The memories are still there honey..."

I thought of my Father back in Chicago. We were close, but the last few months were overwhelming. We argued over meaningless crap like curfew, joy rides, and school. I was always out too late, I sped through the streets, and I refused to go to college.

I wasn't proud of the fact that I was purposely being rebellious though I abhorred my father's new found life of dating. When he admitted he'd been courting a woman for a few weeks the last bit of hope I had for a family reunion deteriorated. It was difficult to see my father with another woman. I had to put distance between myself and the situation and get out of his hair.

He moved on. I realized Elizabeth did too.

"We're here."

I didn't recognize the house because I'd only seen it in a picture that I crumpled and tossed away. Elizabeth would visit me at my home in Chicago. Visits were cut back when she was hired in Seattle. I grabbed my bag and gripped the door handle but she halted me. "Wait. So what do you think?" She was smiling ear to ear again, motioning to the house.

"It's raining fat blobs Eli- Mom. I can't see a thing."

"Of course you can't," she sighed and rubbed her temples with tiny circles.

"Let's go in," I said, desperate for privacy.

"OkAY. Use the umbrella not the paper."

We huddled beneath the umbrella and rushed to shelter. We were drenched regardless. I shook the wet out of my hair and studied my surroundings. The living room was dark with redwood flooring and forest green walls. There were no portraits or paintings on display, but the room was welcoming with plants in every corner. There was a leather sofa and armchair around a coffee table with a laptop, notepad, and newspaper, mug and ashtray on top.

"I get stressed out when I work sometimes," she crossed her arms and raised a brow, daring me to object to her unhealthy choices.

I shook my head. I didn't care to see the other rooms except my own.

"Where do I unpack?"

"The attic."

"You're shoving me up in storage?"

"Edward, quit it. It's beautifully finished, very open. I think you'll like it."

"...Thank you," I said and hopelessly searched for the stairs that would lead me to personal space.

"I'm ordering takeout," she called after me. "So come down if you're hungry. And you are a registered student and Forks High school now. You start next week!"


End file.
